May Bel Aire Breeze.indd - City of Bel Aire

Breeze 

The Bel Aire 

Vol. 6, No. 4 MAY 2011 Complimentary copy 

Journey raises money for housing charity 

benefit bike ride 

By Matt Heilman 

Bel Aire City Council member David 

Austin is trying to get himself in shape to 

complete a long bike ride. In July, Austin 

will ride 303 miles from Clay Center, Kan., 

to Moberly, Mo. 

He’s upping the mileage on his slick road 

bike in preparation for the challenge. He appreciates 

the health benefits, but is planning 

the long ride for a selfless cause. 

The route Austin plans to ride is just one 

stretch of the cross-country journey mapped 

out to raise money for the Fuller Center for 

Housing, a non-profit Christian ministry that 

works “to eliminate poverty housing conditions 

throughout the world.” 

The full route of the Fourth Annual Fuller 

Center Bike Adventure stretches from Seattle, 

Wash., to Washington, D.C. Austin said a 

few brave cyclists plan to ride the entire way. 

With a place in his heart for the Fuller 

Center for Housing, Austin said he was 

drawn to get involved when he saw that 

the route would go through part of Kansas. 

He admits there’s no way he’d be able to 

complete the full route, even if his work and 

family schedule allowed him the time to do 

so. 

He shook his head, questioning his plan 

to even go 303 miles over a four to five day 

stretch. 

“This is crazy,” Austin said with a laugh. 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this. I haven’t 

ridden a bike recreationally since I got my 


It’s almost that time of year 

again when the City of Bel 

Aire will be faced with difficult 

decisions regarding its 

management of land debt. The 

council and staff keep a sharp 

eye on the issue year-round, 

but the subject gets tenser as 

budget season nears. 

Long-term financing is in 

place for the city to make in- 

driver’s license 22 years ago.” 

Austin admits he could probably request 

donations for The Fuller Center without the 

physical demand, but he feels taking part 

in the bike ride is a better representation of 

what the ministry is about. 

terest payments on a principle 

of about $19 million in land 

debt on about 1,600 acres. 

Meeting the interest payments 

will likely stretch the city 

budget thin for the next few 

years. 

In addition to paying off 

the interest, Mayor Harold 

Smith has repeatedly emphasized 

the need for a portion 

of land sales to pay off the 

principle so the city isn’t left 

with a $19 million deficit after 

land is sold. 

While there are indicators 

of progress, the city has 

to look at where it’s at now, 

not what could be. Yes, new 

schools are being constructed 

and new housing and business 

opportunities are on the way. 

However, the city has to 

pass its 2012 budget in August 

and as council member 

Dave Austin bluntly stated 

Photos by Matt Heilman 

Bel Aire Council member David Austin with his road bike in front of Bel Aire City Hall April 18. In July, Austin plans to 

ride his bike 303 miles from Clay Center, Kan. to Moberly, Mo. as part of a fundraiser for the Fuller Center for Housing, 

a Christian ministry that aims to end poverty housing around the world. 

Bel Aire man plans 

David Austin takes a short ride in Central Park near City Hall April 18. When 

the weather cooperates, Austin takes advantage to build mileage on his road 

bike in preparation for his charitable bike ride in July. 

A former millionaire, who sacrificed all of 

his material possessions to make a difference 

for the less fortunate, founded the Fuller 

Center, as well as Habitat for Humanity, 

See BIKE, Page 2 

at the April 19 meeting, “We 

know it’s gonna be a sucky 

year.” 

Before the 2011 budget 

was passed last year with a 

3-mill property tax increase, 

Smith laid out a payment plan 

for the city to meet interest 

payments, based on a conservative 

estimate on land sales. 

The mayor’s recommendation 

called for the city to raise 

property taxes a minimum of 



P.O. Box 120 • 210 W. Main 

Valley Center, KS 67147 

PRSRT. STD. 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Permit No. 10 

VALLEY CENTER, KS 

67147 

Challenger, 

incumbent 

win seats on 

city council 

The city council general elections were completed 

April 5 and at least some change came to 

Bel Aire. 

City council incumbents Carolyn Marlier and 

Dave Sly faced challenger Moe Terrebonne for 

two at-large seats. In a close race, Sly won a second 

term on the council with 306 votes, which 

equates to 35 percent of the votes. 

Terrebonne received 292 votes for 33 percent, 

edging Marlier, who received 260 votes for 29 

percent. Terrebonne’s victory marked the end of 

Marlier’s 12 years on the council. 

Marlier said her health slowed her down during 

the last few weeks of the campaign, but she 

was OK with the outcome. 

“I’m good with it,” Marlier said. “I’ve put 

in my time and I’ve enjoyed it. I will still stay 

active and keep interested in what goes on in the 

city.” 

Terrebonne said he was grateful for everyone 

who voted for him and was ready to get to work. 

“I’m going to work hard now that I’m on the 

council to monitor the budget to make sure we 

don’t spend money unnecessarily,” Terrebonne 

said. 

There was also a mayoral election in Bel Aire, 

where incumbent Harold Smith maintained his 

post after running unopposed. 

City OKs 

property 

marketing 

agreement 

Bel Aire city leaders have taken an active role to 

promote land sales in the city, but the city council 

and mayor don’t have the same expertise as professional 

developers or real estate agents. 

Over the past few months, the city has seen encouraging 

signs for residential growth, but there’s 

also commercial and industrial property that needs 

developed for Bel Aire to overcome its land debt. 

After consulting with representatives of the J.P. 

Weigand real estate agency, the council moved to 

acquire help to market city property on Bel Aire’s 

east side. 

The council voted 3-0 to approve an agreement 

with John T. Arnold & Associates to market the 

entire city-owned property east of Webb. 

Council members Gary Breault and Peggy 

O’Donnell were absent from the April 5 meeting. 

The land in the agreement includes about 800 

acres in the proposed industrial park that runs along 

53rd North between Webb and Greenwich and 80 

acres of agricultural land east of Greenwich. 

Bel Aire City Manager Ty Lasher said the 

council discussed how to best market industrial 

property in the city at a couple of workshops and 

determined that John T. Arnold had expertise in 

Council avoids characterizing debt management plan as a resolution 

3 mills for 2011, 2012 and 

2013, assuming the conservative 

land sale projection was 

met. One mill in Bel Aire is 

equal to about $45,000. 

Interest payments jump a 

little past $1 million in 2012, 

at a rate that will be consistent 

until it jumps to $1.7 million 

in 2021. 

To prepare for the 2012 

interest payments, Smith 

revised his plan for an even 

See MARKETING, Page 2 

more conservative projection, 

based on the worst-case 

scenario of no land sales next 

year. 

Smith’s updated plan calls 

for the dedication of 9 1/2 

mills to the interest payments 

in 2012 and allows proceeds 

from all land sales to pay off 

part of the principle. 

City Manager Ty Lasher 

See CITY, Page 2

PAGE 2 MAY 2011 • BEL AIRE BREEZE 

Willie’s wild ride was short-lived 

The smiling cowboy who greeted 

motorists with the tip of his hat near 

77th North and I-135 had a good run. 

“Wild Willie West,” as he was called, 

was always the first to know when it 

rained, but the last to complain about 

the weather. 

He never quit grinning and showed a 

sense of pride in his job to direct traffic 

to Wild West World, the short-lived 

theme park in Park City that offered entertainment 

for a few months in 2007. 

Even after the park was closed and 

his boss was thrown in jail, Willie kept 

his head up all the way to the bitter 

end. 

In November, an online bidder 

bought the digital cowboy sign at a 

public auction. On April 6, Willie was 

taken apart and moved away in pieces 

on the back of a couple of flatbed 

trucks. 

I don’t know where he’s going or 

if he’ll be put back together again. 

Whatever the future holds, it’s hard to 

imagine his smiling face looking over a 

different landscape. 

He was home in Park City. That’s 

where he was raised and that’s where 

he planned to stay forever. 

Unfortunate circumstances surrounding 

Wild West World ended 

Willie’s time before anyone anticipated. 

In his life, Willie was a contro- 

Anniversary announcements, wedding 

announcements and obituaries 

run free of charge in The Bel Aire Breeze. 

City 

Continued from Page 1 

Call 755-0821 or e-mail it to legals@arkvalleynews.com 

said that if no land is sold, Bel 

Aire would need to account 

for nearly $1.3 million in 

interest payments in 2012, an 

amount that comes out to 28 

mills. 

In the worst-case scenario 

where no land is sold, Smith’s 

plan calls for a compromise 

of a tax increase and cuts in 

city services, which would 

equate to roughly $427,000 in 

Bike 


which is one of the nation’s 

largest non-profit organizations. 

“He gave it all away. The 

first-class tickets and the 

Lincoln Continentals,” Austin 

said. 

The man who turned his 

back on his wealth was Millard 

Fuller, a close friend of 

Austin’s father, John Austin, 

John Austin was a minister 

who started one of the first affiliates 

for Habitat for Humanity 

in the 1970s in Paducah, 

Ky. With Fuller, John Austin 

helped start new affiliates for 

the home-improvement ministry 

across the Midwest. 

“Some of my earliest memories 

were riding around in the 

car with my dad and Millard, 

spreading the word throughout 

the Midwest,” David Austin 

said. 

Now, Habitat for Humanity 

has more than 200,000 affili- 

Heil 

on life 


versial figure. 

Some people thought he was 

“great.” Others called him “stupid” or 

“tacky.” 

Whatever they said, it didn’t matter. 

Willie didn’t let what people 

thought about him affect his mood. 

That grin was literally painted onto his 

face and not even the meanest bully 

in the toughest schoolyard in America 

could break his expression. 

He was a friendly interstate landmark 

as iconic as the famous chimney 

sweep guy who sits along the highway 

between Moundridge and McPherson. 

Whether you loved him or hated him, 

you can’t deny that Wild Willie West 

left his mark on the area. 

To loosely reference an Elton John 

song, the digital sign burned out long 

before his legend ever will. 

Matt Heilman is a reporter for The 

Bel Aire Breeze. Reach him at 755- 

0821 or matt@arkvalleynews.com. 

reduced spending. 

Smith brought the plan before 

the council as a starting 

point to deal with the budget, 

but it in no way calls for the 

approval of deep cuts or a 

steep tax hike. It just provides 

what council member Gary 

Breault called “a low-ball 

starting point.” 

“This plan eliminates the 

guesswork, which from a budget 

standpoint makes us feel 

more comfortable,” Lasher 

said. 

The council agreed that it 

was wise to start looking at 

ates across the United States, 

he said. 

After initiating the growth 

of Habitat for Humanity, Fuller 

and his wife, Linda Fuller, established 

the Fuller Center for 

Housing about six years ago. 

Millard Fuller died in 2009. 

In his teen years, growing 

up in Pennsylvania, David 

Austin, now 38, helped raise 

awareness of poverty with 

volunteer hours and fundraising 

for Habitat for Humanity. 

In 1988, Austin celebrated his 

16th birthday while walking 

from Patterson, N.J., to 

Raleigh, NC. In 1990, he took 

part in a fundraising walk from 

Pasadena, Calif., to Tijuana, 

Mexico. 

He’s worked on several 

homebuilding projects across 

the country and has seen 

former president Jimmy Carter 

roll up his sleeves and hammer 

nails to put sweat equity into 

the fight against poverty. 

Like Habitat for Humanity, 

the Fuller Center for Housing 

emphasizes “giving a hand up 

the budget from the worstcase 

scenario and build from 

there, but they denied Smith’s 

plan as a resolution. Smith 

pointed out that a resolution 

isn’t binding like an ordinance 

and is subject to change an 

unlimited number of times 

before the final budget must 

be approved in August. 

The council thanked Smith 

for the guidance and didn’t 

object to his figures, but they 

didn’t want the official minutes 

of the April 19 meeting to 

indicate to the public that they 

were supportive of a budget 

instead of a handout,” Austin 

said. In other words, the 

ministry is available to help 

those who are willing to help 

themselves. 

On his four- or five-day 

bike ride this summer, Austin 

said he plans to stop in Kansas 

City near his halfway point to 

volunteer on a Fuller Center 

home build. 

Settled with his wife, 

Keturah, and teenage daughter 

in Bel Aire, Austin is looking 

forward to stepping out of 

his comfort zone for a good 

cause. Currently, he’s seeking 

sponsorship for the fundraising 

adventure. 

“I’d love it if the community 

would sponsor me in 

support,” he said. 

For more information on 

Corrado Concrete 

& Construction 

Driveways, Sidewalks, Patio and 

Above Ground Storm Shelters. 

No job to small just give us a call. 

558-1668 

Crews remove the Wild West World cowboy “Wild Willie 

West” from the former theme park’s sign along I-135 April 

6. 

that called for a tax hike. 

“I don’t think we should 

do something like a resolution 

because it could confuse the 

public,” newly elected council 

member Moe Terrebonne said. 

Council member Peggy 

O’Donnel agreed and said 

that in her mind, there was 

some finality associated with 

the word “resolution” that she 

wasn’t comfortable with. 

So, while accepting 

Smith’s work to provide the 

“low-ball starting point” to 

iron out the 2012 budget, the 

council voted 4-0 to deny it as 

the Fuller Center for Housing 

or the ministry’s fundraising 

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a resolution. 

“I can live with that,” 

Smith said. “I didn’t want to 

make it more complicated. 

My sole purpose was to lay 

out what’s in front of us.” 

Council member Dave Sly 

was absent from the April 19 

meeting. 

There are a few workshops 

to go, input from the public 

in a town hall meeting or two 

and a lot of number crunching 

ahead before the council can 

comfortably say for sure how 

taxpayers will be impacted in 

2012. 

bike ride, visit www.fullercenter.org/bikeadventure. 

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Higher 

percentage 

of voters 

up north 

Nice job, north Sedgwick 

County voters. 

You’re better than the average. 

A higher percentage of voters 

in Bel Aire, Park City, Kechi, 

Valley Center and the USD 

262 school district turned out 

for the April 5 election — 14 

percent compared to 13 percent 

— than Sedgwick County as a 

whole. It’s not much, but it says 

something. 

The city election with the 

highest turnout was Valley Center 

with 18 percent. Kechi had 

16 percent. Bel Aire had 12 percent 

and Park City 11 percent. 

The Valley Center school 

district election — the most 

highly contested races in north 

Sedgwick County — had 14 

percent turnout. 

So, what does it say? 

Here’s one possibility: Voters 

in this area of the county are 

only slightly less disinterested in 

local elections than voters in all 

of Sedgwick County. 

Here’s another: Voters in the 

area of the county are slightly 

more interested in local elections. 

We choose to view the glass 

as half full. 

— The Bel Aire Breeze 

The Bel Aire Breeze 

Published monthly by Strunk 

Publishing LLC at P.O. Box 

120, Valley Center, Kan. 

67147. Publisher: Chris Strunk. 

Telephone: 316-755-0821. 

Fax: 316-755-0644. E-mail: 

legals@arkvalleynews.com. The 

office is located at 210 W. Main, 

Valley Center, Kan. 

Marketing 


industrial properties. 

The agreement with John 

T. Arnold is for two years. 

Lasher said John T. Arnold’s 

commission percentage 

is inversely related to the 

size of a sale. So, the bigger 

the sale, the smaller the percentage 

John T. Arnold would 

receive. For example, Lasher 

said John T. Arnold would 

receive about 4 percent on a 

land sale of $10 million. 

The marketing agreement 

also includes a lease rate 

because Lasher said there are 

some companies that prefer 

to lease property rather than 

own it. 

Also on April 5, the council: 

•Approved an appropriations ordinance 

of $330,213.27. 

•Heard from Lasher who discussed 

plans for an Arbor Day celebration 

on April 30, which will 

coincide with the unveiling of Bel 

Aire’s 30th anniversary project 

where commemorative bricks will 

be stacked to form a monument on 

a median along the drive leading to 

City Hall. 

Canine Design 

6505 E. 37th N, 

Suite 100 

(37th & Woodlawn) 

260-4777 

All Dog & Cat Grooming 

May Special - FREE 

Dog tooth brushing 

with this ad. 

Bierocks 

1303 E. 61st N. • Kechi 

806-9442 

11am-7pm Mon-Sat 

12pm-6pm Sunday 

Bring this ad in and 

enjoy a FREE can of 

pop with your order

SPECIAL 

PROMOTION FOR 

HOME BUYERS IN 

CENTRAL PARK 

The City of Bel Aire will 

provide FREE WATER 

AND SEWER SER- 

VICE for 6 MONTHS (a 

maximum of $2,000 per 

household) to all buyers 

that purchase a spec 

Bel Aire Senior Club 

City of Bel Aire 

Notes from 

City Hall 

home or custom home in 

the Central Park community 

sold by Weigand 

New Homes. The water 

and sewer credit is only 

available on contracts 

written between March 

16 to May 31, 2011. 

The Bel Aire Utility Advisory 

Committee has an 

opening for a volunteer 

Activities are held at 4551 N. Auburn unless otherwise noted. Those 55-plus are welcome to participate. 

For information on programs and services for seniors, contact Vicki Shepard, Tri-City Senior Director, at 

744-1199. The club is self-governed and activities benefit all participating seniors. 

Free computer class Monday 10:00 AM Park City Senior Center 

Free Line Dance lessons Wednesday 2:30 PM Park City Senior Center 

Square Dance Lessons and Dancing 6:30 PM every Thursday 

(except 3rd Thursday of the month) Park City Senior Center 

May 3 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast at Livingstons, 832 N. Webb Road 

May 9 10:00 a.m. — Board Meeting 

11:30 a.m. — Lunch in Old Town at the Pump House located at the corner of 2nd & Mosley 

(825 E. 2nd St.) some parking in front on street and a few spots in their parking 

lot 

1:30 p.m. — Tour of Great Plains Transportation Museum. Located at 700 E. Douglas. 

Cost--$3.00 per person 

May 18 10:00 a.m. — Men’s Coffee at Braums 

May 18 2:00 p.m. — Ladies Tea/Coffee at Braums 

May 23 6:00 p.m. — Covered Dish Dinner 

Hosts: Wanda Urquhart 

Program: Craig Cole Magician 

Just a reminder to start saving for the annual senior garage sale 

DAY TRIP—FRIDAY JUNE 10, 2011 

Bus trip to Abilene, Kansas 

Ride on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railraod 

Lunch at the Kirby House 

Stop at Russell Stover Candies 

Tour the Smoky Hill Vineyards & Winery 

Tour Prairie Lavender Farm 

Price includes transportation & all admissions & lunch 

$65.00 per person 

Reservations & payment need to be made by May 27th 

Call Vicki at 744-1199 for reservations 

Bus departs from Maize at 7:00 a.m. 

Bus departs from Park City at 7:30 AM 

For information on senior activities or resources contact 

Tri-City Senior Director Vicki Shepard at 744-1199 

member. The Utility 

Committee consists of 

five citizens who advise 

the Governing Body 

during a 2-year term on 

matters relating to water, 

sewer, storm water 

run-off, trash, and sump 

pump discharges. The 

Committee meets once 

per month, currently 

on the second Tuesday, 

Bel Aire Recreation 

5251 E. 48th North • www.belaireks.gov • 744-2700 

Mon., Tue., & Thur. 8-8 • Wed. & Fri. 8-7 • Sat. 9-3 

For more information on these or any Bel Aire Recreation Programs call 744-2700. 

HELP WANTED (Seasonal Part-Time) 

The City of Bel Aire is accepting applications for 

Recreation Center Attendant. Duties will include light 

cleaning, facility coverage, and program assistance. 

This is a seasonal part-time position on M-F mornings 

from May 16 to August 12. Applicants must be at 

least 18 years of age. Apply at the Bel Aire Recreation 

Center, 5251 E. 48th N. 

UMPIRES NEEDED 

Bel Aire Recreation is accepting baseball & softball 

umpire applications for the upcoming season. 

Experience preferred and must be at least 16 years old. 

Call Adam at 744-2700 if interested. 

X-BOX CONNECT 

A new X-Box Connect gaming system is now available 

for use at the Rec Center thanks to a $500 donation 

from the Bel Aire Lions Club and a $500 grant from 

Sam’s Club. The virtual video game is available during 

scheduled times for members and day fee users. 

CENTRAL PARK SWIMMING POOL 

The Central Park Swimming Pool at 7350 E. Central 

Park Ave. opens to the public on May 28th. Offerings 

will include swimming lessons, open swim, rentals, 

memberships, and day passes. Brochure information 

will be available online at www.belaireks.gov 

RECREATIONAL SUMMER T-BALL, 

BASEBALL & SOFTBALL LEAGUES 

There are a few spots remaining in each age group, 

but we anticipate filling them rather quickly. If you are 

interested in signing up, please do so as soon as possible. 

MARVELOUS MODELS 

This beginner class will focus on how to model your 

own clothes and walk the “runway,” with an emphasis 

on self-confidence and having fun! The class will be for 

ages 5-10 and meet from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. beginning 

on Tuesday, June 7th. On the last day of class, August 

2nd, there will be a mini fashion show for parents, 

grandparents, friends, and family to come and enjoy. 

FISHING CLINIC 

On Tuesday, June 14th from 9:00 – 11:00 am the 

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will conduct 

a free Fishing Clinic at Bel Aire’s Alley Park. Topics 

introduced include: safety, fish identification, baiting 

a hook, hooking a fish, reeling and handling a fish. 

Fishing equipment will be provided. Parents are 

encouraged to assist their children. Space is limited, 

pre-registration is required. 

HORSEBACK RIDING at Singletree Stables 

(2100 E. 45th St. N.) 

Participants will experience the basics of horsemanship 

including horse care, grooming, tacking up, and riding. 

Parents are welcome to observe. This year we are going 

to have five sessions in the month of June instead of one 

a month. The classes will be on Thursdays from 1:00 

– 2:30 beginning June 2nd and running through June 

30th. The registration deadline is Friday, May 27th. 

ZUMBA 

ZUMBA is at the Bel Aire Recreation Center! This is 

a Latin-inspired, dance-fitness class that incorporates 

Latin and international music and dance movements, 

creating a dynamic, exciting, exhilarating, and effective 

fitness system. A ZUMBA class known as a ZUMBA 

Fitness-Party combines fast and slow rhythms that tone 

and sculpt the body using an aerobic/fitness approach 

to achieve a unique blended balance of cardio and 

muscle-toning benefits. Classes are held on Mondays 

and Thursdays from 6:00-7:00 p.m.. You can join at 

any time! New spots have opened and the class will 

move to the gym beginning May 2nd. 

TAEKWONDO 

We are accepting registrations for ages 5 & up. Classes 

meet on Monday & Friday from 5:00-6:00 p.m. or 

Tuesday & Thursday from 7:10-8:10 p.m.. These are 

great classes for beginners to black belts. 

YOGA 

Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:10- 

7:10 p.m.. You will need to provide your own yoga mat. 

FITNESS CENTER (ages 16 & up) 

The Fitness Center consists of elliptical cross trainers, 

treadmills, recumbent bike, multi-station weight machine, 

and free-weights. There is no charge for pass holders, or 

it is available with the purchase of a daily pass. Rates are 

going up after the first of the year, so join now! 

from 2:30-4:40 p.m., at 

City Hall. Meeting day 

and time can be changed 

for the convenience of 

all Committee members. 

For more information, 

contact Mayor Smith 

at 744-2650 or a City 

Council member. 

Keep This 

Date Open! 

June 18th 

7:00 to 10:00 PM 

MUSIC AND 

MOONLIGHT 

City Hall Terrace 

Music Talent Show 

(age 18 and under) 

Plus: Music under the stars 

(bring your lawn chair) 

No admission 

cost! 

Bel Aire Senior Center 

MAY 2011 • BEL AIRE BREEZE PAGE 3 

ATTENTION K–8 PARENTS... 

WE NEED YOUR HELP!! 

The City of Bel Aire is currently working to submit an application 

to the Kansas Department of Transportation for a Safe Routes To 

School program. What is Safe Routes To School? It is a program 

designed to help cities and schools work together to promote 

physical activity in our children. The program encourages them to 

walk or ride their bike to school, rather than relying on vehicular 

transportation. To begin, the City of Bel Aire is preparing a Phase I 

application that must be submitted to the KDoT by May 31, 2011. 

The Phase I stage is required to tell the state how we intend to 

provide a safe environment for our children to walk or ride their 

bike to school. 

How can you help? The more support we can get from the community, 

the more attractive the City’s application is to the Department 

of Transportation. Please take a few minutes to complete 

the Parent’s Survey found on the City of Bel Aire’s homepage 

(www.belaireks.gov) or at the National Center for Safe Routes To 

School website (www.saferoutesinfo.org). Additionally, any K – 8 

parents who would like to write a letter of support for the program 

is encouraged to do so. This would help increase our chance 

of being selected for the next phase of the competition. Please 

address letters to the following, BUT DO NOT SEND THEM: 

Ms. Becky Pepper 

Kansas Department of Transportation 

Eisenhower State Office Building 

Bureau of Transportation Planning 

700 SW Harrison Street 

Topeka, KS 66603-3754 

Instead, please send letters of support and completed surveys to: 

City of Bel Aire 

ATTN: Cody Sims 

7651 E. Central Park Ave. 

Bel Aire, KS 67226 

Your letters of support and survey results will be included in the 

application packet that will be presented to KDoT in May. Please 

submit the letters of support and the completed surveys by Friday, 

May 20, 2011. For questions or concerns, contact Cody Sims 

at City Hall at 744-2451 or csims@belaireks.gov. Help us show 

why Bel Aire is the right community for the project! 

Thank you for your help and support! 

Deadline for June: Friday, May 20 

Bel Aire Breeze 

All events are held at the Bel Aire Senior Center, 7651 E. Central Park Ave., 

unless otherwise noted and are for ALL SENIORS living in or near Bel Aire. 

The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and has library books to check out, 

places to study or do research and computers for use. 

For more information about the center and its activities, contact Rick Eberhard, Senior Director, at 

either 744-2451, extension 121, or reberhard@belaireks.gov. Beginning Jan. 1, Officer hours are 9 

a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Thursday (Excluding holidays, special events or senior-related meetings.) 

Any senior can belong to or attend more than one senior center/club in Sedgwick County 

Sr. Breakfasts NEW LOCATION IN MAY Friday, 9 a.m. except on Breakfast & Learn 

Days, McDonalds 3527 N. Rock Rd. Buy your own breakfast. 

Men’s Fellowship Coffee Every Monday, 10 a.m, Bel Aire Sr. Center, all men over 55 invited 

Bridge Every Tuesday, 1 p.m. 

Aerobics NEW TIME Every Wednesday, 9 a.m. 

Oil Painting Classes Every Thursday, 1-4 p.m., Cost 

May 2 @ 6:30 p.m. - May “Senior Potluck Dinner & Program” @ Senior Center, bring a large covered 

dish to share with others; drinks are provided and bring your own table service. Special Program by SG. 

CO. Extension Office Horticulture Agent Bob Neier @ 7:30 PM - Presentation on Spring planting and 

gardens and garden composting ideas. Doors open at 6:00 PM. 

May 4 @ 10:30 a.m. - “Hand crafted Jewelry Class” in Sr. Ctr. (small fee paid to instructor); Senior Advisory 

Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM - open meeting. 

May 6 - (NEW) Department of Aging “Hoarding Conference” @ Wichita Marriott Hotel - Sr. Director 

attending & Out of Office. 

May 7 - (NEW) Senior Center event sponsored by the TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Club - “Shredding 

Event” for City residents only of Bel Aire, in West parking lot at City Hall 7651 E. Central Park 

Ave. 9 AM to 12 Noon. Bring your paper items to be shredded in cardboard boxes. No plastic bags 

allowed. 

May 7 - (NEW) Senior Ctr. “SPRING MYSTERY DINNER” - Meet at the Senior Center @ 4 PM to 

drive to location - head west to the country (clue). If you wood like to go, RSVP to Senior Director by 

May 4th and car pooling will be utilized and drivers are needed. 

May 8 - Mother’s Day 2011 - Honor Mothers every where. 

May 9 @ 7 p.m. - Central Park HoA Board Meeting at Sr. Ctr. 

May 13 @ 9 a.m. - (NEW) Special “Breakfast & Learn Event @ the Exploration Place” museum in downtown 

Wichita. RSVP are needed by May 12th. Meet at 8:30 AM to car pool from Senior Center. 

May 13 @ 7 p.m. - Senior Fun Night - bring your favorite board or card games to share with others along 

with some finger food and snacks to share. Drinks are provided. 

May 14 - Senior Red Hats Society Meeting - Call 744-0217 for time and location. 

May 14 @ 5 p.m. - (NEW) Special event “Dinner with Friends”. Meet at Senior Center to car pool to 

Bread Basket Restaurant in nearby Newton, KS to go enjoy their special evening German Food Buffet. 

RSVP by May 12th to confirm your reservation to Sr. Director’s Office. 

May 18 @ 10:30 a.m. - “Hand Crafted Jewelry Class” in Senior Center (small fee paid to instructor). 

May 19 @ 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - At the Senior Center - “AARP Drivers Safety Training and Program” in 

Senior Center - $12.00 fee for AARP Members and $14.00 Non-AARP Members. Call 744-2451 Ext. 

121 to register in advance due to limited seating. Note: This will the 2nd and final AARP program 

scheduled locally for 2011 in Bel Aire. 

May 20 - “Elder Abuse Conference” - Sponsored by TRIAD Council of the Mental Health Assoc. of SC 

Kansas. 

May 21 @ 10:30 a.m. – Single Seniors Group Meeting at Senior Center. 

May 23 @ 7 p.m. - Bel Aire Tree Board Meeting at Senior Center. 

May 25 @ 7 p.m. - Sr. Ladies BUNKO Game Night. 

May 27 - All Evening events canceled: NO Sr. Fellowship NOR Pitch Games (canceled) due to the holiday 

weekend. 

May 30 - “Memorial Day Observed” - NO Men’s Coffee/Fellowship - the Senior Center and City Hall 

CLOSED to observe the holiday. Please fly your USA flags at home or at your business? 

June 28 @ 11 a.m. – Elder Abuse Awareness Day @ Botanica, the Wichita Gardens – Wear something 

purple? Drop by the Bel Aire Senior Center Booth! 

Celebrating Older Americans Month 2011 

Theme: Older Americans: Connecting the Community


POLICE REPORTS 

April 20 – Lt. Spencer responded 

to the report of lost juvenile in the 

3800 block of North Oliver. The child 

returned home shortly after officers 

arrived on scene. The child had been 

at a friend’s house. 

April 20 – Officer Hazelwood responded 

to the report of a suspicious 

person in the 4300 block of North 

Eagle Lake Court. The residence and 

grounds were checked and no signs of 

anyone were found. 

April 20 – Officer Foxx responded 

to the complaint of a barking dog in 

the 5700 block of Hanover. The dog 

and owners were located without incident. 


to a family disturbance in the 6000 

block of Clarendon. Suspects left the 

area prior to officer’s arrival. 

April 19 – Detective Pentecost responded 


phone call in the 500 block of Willow 

Point. 



person in the 6000 block of East Rodeo 

Court. Officer contacted two people 

and told them to get a permit to go 

door to door. 

April 19 – Officer Hutton took a 

person into custody on a court commitment 

for the Bel Aire Municipal 

Court. 

April 19 – Officer Swanson responded 


vehicle in the 4700 block of North 

Glendale. The vehicle was clear and 

no occupant was located. 

April 18 – Officer Toomey attempted 

to conduct a traffic stop at 

5000 N. Webb. The driver increased 

his speed to over 100 mph, attempting 

to flee and elude pursuit by police. The 

car was abandoned on Sharon Lane in 

Wichita. The driver fled the area. The 

driver was not located. 

April 18 – Officer Toomey responded 

to a 911 hang-up call in the 

4700 block of North Kruger. The residence 

was having phone problems. 

April 17 — Officer Brandewiede 

conducted a traffic stop at 6700 E. 

45th North. 

April 17 — Officer Brandewiede 

conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle 

that had a unregistered tag at 3800 N. 

Woodlawn. The tag was seized. 

April 17 – Officers McCaslin and 

Hutton disposed of a raccoon found in 

a yard in the 6100 block of East Quail 

Ridge Court. 

April 15 – Officer McGuire checked 

the welfare of a person in the 4000 

block of North Edgemoor. Officer contacted 

the homeowner. He mistakenly 

pushed on the gas while backing into 

his garage and backed into his residence, 

damaging the residence. 

April 15 – Officer McGuire took 

the report of vandalism at 6700 E. 

45th North. Someone cut tires and 

broke the window of a vehicle. 

April 15 – Officer Hazelwood took 

the report of a person entering another 

person’s car and taking property at 

6842 E. 44th North. 

April 15 – Officer Hutton served a 

warrant at 5714 E. 49th North. Michael 

Nelson was arrested on the warrant. 

April 15 – Officer Hutton responded 

to an audible alarm in the 4500 

block of North Dundee. The alarm was 

false. 

April 15 – Officer Foxx assisted 

Sedgwick County Fire Department in 

the 4500 block of North Rushwood 

Court. 

April 15 – Detective Pentecost 

took the report of harassment in the 

4000 block of Fritillary. 

April 14 – Officer Swanson found 

a large trash dump in the roadway at 

11500 E. 45th North. Officer notified 

city works. 

April 14 – Officer Hazelwood 

took the report of someone entering 

a residence in the 4000 block of North 

Auburn and taking property. Officer 

checked the neighborhood and did not 

locate anything. 

April 12 – Officer Brandewiede 

took the report of damage to a vehicle 

parked in a driveway. 

April 12 – Detective Pentecost responded 

to a motor vehicle accident at 

3700 N. Oliver. One person was transported 

to the hospital. 

April 12 – Officer Brandewiede responded 

to an alarm in the 4100 block 

of Edinburg. The alarm was false. 



of East 37th North. Employees were 

on scene. The alarm was false. 


to a possible disturbance in 

the 4400 block of North Mission. The 

suspect fled the area. The victim refused 

EMS treatment. 


to the report of suspicious activity in 

the 4900 block of North Hedgerow 

Court. Officer checked the premises 

and found no signs of burglary. 

April 7 – Officer Foxx assisted Kechi 

police with a traffic stop at 5800 

E. K-254. 


to the report of two people 

trying to fish in a private pond in the 

5200 block of North Rock Road. They 

left the area prior to officer’s arrival. 



3800 N. Woodlawn. 

April 6 – Officer Hazelwood arrested 

Adam Wittsell on a charge of 

driving with a suspended license at 

7651 E. Central Park. 

April 6 – Officer Mavia transported 

a person to the Sedgwick County jail 

on a Bel Aire court commitment. 

April 5 – Officer Swanson conducted 

a traffic stop at 5300 N. Webb 

Road. A person was issued citations for 

no proof of driver’s license and speeding. 

April 5 – Officer Steele responded 

to the report of domestic violence in 

the 4800 block of North Hedgerow. 

There was not a noticeable disturbance. 

April 4 – Officer Toomey responded 

to an alarm in the 6200 block of 

East 37th North. The owner was contacted. 

No problems were found. 



of Turquoise Trail. 



Woodlawn and 45th North. 

April 4 – Detective Pentecost took 

the report of vandalism at 4341 N. 

Woodlawn. Someone cut a swing in 

half. 

April 3 – Officer McGuire responded 

to the report of an abandoned 

vehicle in the 4200 block of North 

Rushwood. The vehicle was towed. 

April 3 – Officer Brandewiede arrested 

Chad S. Clipperton on charges 

of driving with a suspended license 

and failure to register vehicle at 5125 

28th Annual 

KNA Coin & Stamp 

Show 

June 18 & 19, 2011 

Hours: Saturday 9 - 5 and Sunday 9 - 3 

Located at the 

Cessna Activity Center 

2744 George Washington Blvd. 

Wichita, KS 

Free Admission and Parking 

Buy, Sell and Trade 

For more information, phone 316-200-1050 

Police promote seatbelt usage 

during Click It or Ticket 

By The Breeze staff 

Each May, the Bel Aire Police Department joins law 

enforcement agencies across the nation for the annual 

Click It or Ticket campaign to promote seatbelt usage. This 

year’s campaign will take place from May 24 through June 

6. Bel Aire police and other law enforcement agencies will 

be increasing traffic enforcements, with additional officers 

on the roadways in the state to enforce occupant protection 

and other traffic laws. The Kansas Department of Transportation 

has provided a grant again this year to fund the extra 

enforcement efforts. 

This year, the Kansas Legislature approved a primary 

seatbelt law. 

The program aims to reduce the number of preventable 

deaths and injuries that occur when unbelted drivers and 

passengers are involved in traffic crashes. Officers will 

be aggressively enforcing seatbelt, child restraint (including 

seatbelts and child passenger safety seats), speed and 

impaired driving violations. 

The Memorial Day holiday falls during the Click It or 

Ticket campaign. 

Nearly 70 percent of people killed in traffic crashes in 

Kansas in 2008 were not properly restrained. 

E. 46th North. 

April 2 — Officer Brandewiede assisted 

EMS in the 6700 block of East 

Odessa. 

April 2 – Officer Brandewiede 

responded to a report of suspicious 

activity in the 6600 block of East 44th 

North. 


to the report of vandalism in the 

5600 block of East 45th North. A person 

spray painted on the water tower. 


to an audible alarm in the 5900 

block of East 49th North. The owner 

was contacted. 

April 2 – Officer Brandewiede took 

the report of a stolen tag in the 5600 

block of East Denise. 

April 2 – Officer McCaslin responded 

to the report of a larceny in 

progress in the 4100 block of North 

Oliver. Officer checked the area and 

did not locate the suspect. 

April 2 – Officer Steele conducted 

a traffic stop on a juvenile traveling 

117 mph in a 55 mph zone at 6000 N. 

Webb Road. The juvenile was arrested 

on charges of possession of marijuana 

and drug paraphernalia. 


to the report of a loud party in the 

4200 block of North Edgemoor. Officer 

contacted several people sitting on the 

back deck of the residence. 


the report of armed robbery at the 

Quik Trip at 37th North and Rock 

Road. Officer checked the area but did 

not locate the suspect. Officer assisted 

Wichita police in checking area businesses. 

April 2 – Officer Steele responded 

to the request to check the welfare of a 

person at K-254 and Oliver. A possible 

DUI was turned over to the Sedgwick 

County Sheriff’s Office. 


to the request to check the welfare 

of a person in the 4900 block of North 

Hedgerow. Dallas Williams was arrested 

on a charge of disorderly conduct 

and two Sedgwick County warrants. 

April 1 – Officer Mavia assisted 


Perryton. 

March 31 – Officer McGuire conducted 

a traffic stop at 4300 N. Oliver. 

He issued citations for speeding and a 

tag violation. 

March 31 – Officer Swanson 

responded to the report of a verbal 

domestic violence disturbance in the 

5900 block of East Flagstaff. 

March 29 – Officer Brandewiede 

responded to the report of a suspicious 

person in the 6500 block of Perryton. 

The vehicle left the area before the officer 

arrived. Officer checked the area 

and did not locate the vehicle. 

March 29 – Officer Hazelwood assisted 

EMS in the 5800 block of Flagstaff. 

March 29 – Officer Swanson responded 


person in the 6600 block of East 44th 

North. Officer made contact with a 

contractor working in the area. 

March 29 – Officer Steel responded 

to the report of loud music or loud 

Cowboy up 

Cowboy Ryan Arndt of the Arndt/Bailey 

Ranch wrestles a steer in the calf-roping 

portion of the April 17 ranch rodeo as 

part of the 10th Annual Cowboy Extravaganza 

at the Kansas Pavilions. In its 

10th year, the extravaganza expanded 

from a one-day to a three-day event and 

utilized most of the pavilion complex. 

Matt Heilman 

noise in the 4700 block of North Oliver. 

The owner was contacted. 

March 28 – Officer McGuire arrested 

Jeffery A. Humbolt on a City of 

Wichita bench warrant and charges of 

possession of drug paraphernalia and 

driving with a suspended license in the 

4100 block of North Oliver. 

March 28 – Officer Hutton assisted 

Wichita police with a possible 

moving disturbance in the area of 37th 

North and Woodlawn. Raisa Ginyard 

was arrested on charges of aggravated 

battery, domestic battery, aggravated 

endangerment of a child, criminal 

damage to property and driving with a 

suspended license. 


conducted a traffic stop in the 6300 

block of East 37th North. Samantha 

Marie Hughes was arrested on a 

charge of driving with a suspended 

license. 


assisted Kechi police with a traffic stop 

at mile marker 2 on K-254. 

March 26 – Officer Hazelwood assisted 

Kechi police with a disturbance 

in the 400 block of East Cheyenne 

Court. 

March 26 – Officer Foxx arrested 

Jalisa Monique Diaz on a charge of DUI 

at 4200 N. Woodlawn. 

March 26 – Officer McGuire responded 

to a disturbance in the 400 

block of West Cherokee. 


arrested Zachariah E. Walters on a 

charge of driving with a suspended 

license at 6300 E. 37th North. 



of East 44th North. Everything was 

secure. 

March 26 — Officer Hutton assisted 


Willowpoint Court. 

March 25 – Officer McGuire 

responded to the report of a hitand-run 

accident at 37th North and 

Woodlawn. 

March 25 – Officer Foxx responded 

to a medical alarm in the 6100 

block of East 37th North. 

March 25 – Officer Foxx assisted 

Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office with a 

traffic pursuit at 2029 N. Woodlawn. 



of North Mission. Everything was secure. 

March 24 – Officer McCaslin took 

the report of a found cat in the 5100 

block of North Yorkshire. The person 

who found the cat said she would care 

for it and attempt to locate the owner. 


responded to the report of a cow in the 

road at 11000 E. 29th North. Officer 

located the owner fixing the fence. He 

returned the cow to the fenced area. 

March 23 – Officer Hazelwood responded 


45th North and Woodlawn. 

March 22 — Officer Brandewiede 

responded to the report of a vehicle 

fire in the 9500 block of East 45th 

North. Officer found a car that was 

burned to the shell. Officer assisted 

with traffic control. 

March 22 – Officer Swanson took 

the report of a found bicycle at 4014 

N. Oliver. 

March 22 – Officers Mavia and 

Hazelwood responded to the report 

of suspicious people in the 5800 block 

of East Kewanee. Officer checked the 

area but did not locate the suspects. 

March 22 – Lt. Griggs conducted 

a traffic stop at 4200 N. Oliver. He issued 

a citation to a person on a charge 

of driving with a suspended license. 

March 21 – Officer McGuire responded 

to the report of domestic violence 

in the 6100 block of East 41st 

North Circle. There was no indication 

of physical violence. 

March 21 – Detective Pentecost 

took the report of someone entering 

an unlocked car in the 5100 block of 

Remington and ransacking the contents. 

The interior was left covered in 

dog hair. 

March 21 – Officer Swanson 

took the report of a person receiving 

unwanted text messages in the 4300 

block of East Eagle Lake Court. 

March 21 — Officer Toomey 

checked on two people at 4500 N. 

Westlake. 


assisted Kechi police with a traffic stop 

at 9300 E. 61st North. 

March 20 – Officer McGuire conducted 

a traffic stop in the 4700 block 

of North Oliver. Adrian L. Reedy was 

arrested on a City of Wichita bench 

warrant. 


responded to a request by Pennsylvania 

State Police to check the 6100 

block of East 41st North for items purchased 

fraudulently. 


checked the 4300 block of North 

Janesville for suspicious activity. 


responded to an audible alarm in the 

15400 block of East 45th North. 


conducted a traffic stop at 3800 N. 

Woodlawn. 


conducted a traffic stop at Homestead 

and 47th North. Jose Martin 

Gonzalez was arrested on a charge 

of driving with a suspended license. 



Woodlawn. A person was issued citations 

on charges of driving with a 

suspended license and speeding. 


conducted a traffic stop at 4900 

N. Woodlawn. A person was issued 

citations on charges of speeding, 

driving with a restricted license and 

driving without an interlock device. 

March 18 – Detective Pentecost 


Harding. 

March 18 – Officer Hazelwood 

responded to the report of vandalism 

at Denise Park at 5800 E. Denise. 

March 18 – Lt. Spencer responded 

to the report of two vicious dogs 

at large at 6457 Danbury. Sedgwick 

County Animal Control took custody 

of both dogs.

CHURCH HIGHLIGHTS 

Christ Lutheran Church 

Sunday service times are 

8:30 and 11 a.m. worship and 

9:45 a.m. Sunday School. 

The church is located at 

5356 N. Hillside (53rd North 

and Hillside) across from 

Heights High School. 

Find the church online 

at www.christ-lutheran.org; 

e-mail office@clc.kscoxmail. 

com. Call the office at 744- 

1242 for more information. 

Church of the 

Resurrection 

Church of the Resurrection 

(Roman Catholic) is 

located at 4910 N. Woodlawn 

in Bel Aire. 

Masses for the Lord’s Day 

are 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 

8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday. 

Weekday Masses are 8 a.m. 

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 

and Friday; also at 6:30 p.m. 

Wednesday. 

Resurrection Catholic 

School has students from 

preschool through eighth 

grade. 

The parish/school website 

is www.resurrectionwichita. 

com. Phone number is 744- 

2776. Rev. Sherman A. Orr is 

the pastor. 

Community Bible 

Chapel 


4551 Auburn, south of 45th 

North between Oliver and 

Woodlawn, in Bel Aire. 

Worship service and 

breaking of the bread are at 

9 a.m., with Bible study and 

Sunday school at 10:30 on 

Sundays. 

Wednesday prayer and 

Bible study are at 7 p.m. 

Vacation Bible school will 

be held at the church from 

6:30 to 8:45 p.m. June 13 

through June 17. This is for 

children ages 4 through sixth 

grade. 

For more information, call 

Melvan Adair at 744-7091. 

Crossroads 

Friends Church 

Crossroads Friends 

Church meets at Stucky 

Middle School (east from 

45th North and Hillside) at 

10:30 a.m. every Sunday. 

The church has Crossroads 

Kids and Crossroads Cribs 

ministry areas, as well as 

contemporary music, relevant 

Bible teaching and a laidback, 

friendly atmosphere. 

Lead pastor is David Norman 

and associate pastor is 

Jeff Mullen. 

Call the church office at 

361-0407 or visit it online at 

www.crossroadswichita.com. 

Fairmount United 

Church of Christ 


1605 Fairmount in Wichita 

(south of WSU main entrance). 

Rev. Dr. Monte Gravenstein, 

interim minister, leads 

Sunday worship at 10:30 

a.m. Adult Bible study begins 

at 9:30. Children’s church 

and nursery are at 10:30. 

For more information, call 

682-1597 or visit at www. 

fairmountuccc.org. 

Gospel Assembly 

Church 

Located at 4230 N. Oliver 

in Bel Aire, service times are 

10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. 

Bible study is 7 p.m. Monday. 

Prayer service is 7 p.m. 

Tuesday. Praise and worship 

is 7 p.m. Wednesday. 

Phone number is 744- 

1502. Rev. Gary D. Green is 

the pastor. 

Greenwich United 

Methodist Church 

Sunday worship service is 

at 9 a.m. Fellowship and coffee 

following the service. 

Pastor Natalie can be 

reached at 773-2300 or 744- 

0203. 

Pastor Natalie is at the 

church from 5:30 a.m. to 1 

p.m. Thursdays. 

Free coffee and donuts are 

available from 5:30 to 9 a.m. 

Thursdays. 

The students of Marsha 

Meyersick will have a piano 

recital at 2 p.m. May 7. 

Visit the church online at 

Greenwichksumc.org. 

The church is located 

about a mile south of K-254 

on Greenwich Road. 

Kechi United 


Located at 4533 E. 61st 

North in Kechi, the Rev. 

Guy E. Rendoff is the pastor. 

Church phone number 

is 744-1221, its website 

is www.kechiumc.org 

and its e-mail address is 

kechiumc@sbcglobal.net. 

I Will Fix Your 

Computer! 

Kechi resident with 

four Microsoft 

certifications. Home or 

pick-up repairs. 

316-990-1999. Usually 

$50 plus parts. Includes 

FREE Antivirus for life! 

CALL FOR FREE advice! 


Bel Aire resident Keith 

Ehrlich has a plan to keep his 

yard aesthetically pleasing 

while saving money on his 

water bill at the same time. 

At Ehrlich’s home in the 

4900 block of East Willowpoint 

Court, landscapers are 

busy putting in plants that 

can grow and flourish with 

less than 12 inches of water 

per year. Ehrlich is also 

DEATH 

GILBERT SMITH 

Gilbert Michael Smith, 76, 

Augusta, died April 14, 2011. 

He was a retired Iowa 

Beef Processors butcher. 

He was preceded in death 

by his parents, Carl and Bernadine; 

brothers, Wayne and 

Grover Smith 

Survivors include his 

sons and daughters-in-law, 

Stephen and Raydene Smith 

of Bel Aire, Eldon and Kim 

Smith of Lincolnville, David 

Smith of Dickinson, Texas, 

Bryan Smith of Snellville, 

Ga.; daughters and sonin-law, 

Dianne and David 

Smethers of Gardner, Janice 

Sunday praise band and 

worship are at 9:03 a.m. Sunday 

school is at 10. Worship 

is at 11. 

Park City Church 

of the Nazarene 

Sunday school for all 

ages is at 9:30 a.m. Worship 

and children’s church are 

at 10:45. Wednesday Bible 

study for adults begins with 

sandwiches and chips at 6:15 

p.m. 


2100 E. 61st North in Park 

City. 

Pine Valley 

Christian Church 


5620 E. 21st North. Sunday 

school is at 9 a.m. with 

worship at 10:15. For more 

information call 685-2421. 

True Life Church 

True Life Church meets at 

Circle Greenwich Elementary 

(just north of K-96 on Greenwich 

Road). Coffee, juice 

having buffalo grass planted, 

which requires less water 

than most grass and doesn’t 

need to be mowed nearly as 

often. 

The process of landscaping 

Ehrlich’s yard with plants 

that don’t need much water is 

called “zeroscaping.” Ehrlich 

expects the project to be 

complete by the end of May. 

“Theoretically, I won’t 

have to water my front yard,” 

Ehrlich said. “I don’t have 

Smith of McKinney, Texas; 

sister and brother-in-law, 

Wilma and Richard Balay of 

Denver, Colo.; 14 grandchildren; 

five great-grandchildren. 

Visitation was April 19 

and funeral was April 20, 

both at Dunsford Funeral 

Home in Augusta. 

Memorials to Sedgwick 

Healthcare Center, Hospice 

Care of Kansas or Kansas 

Humane Society in care of 

the funeral home. 

Dunsford Funeral Home 

and Crematory of Augusta 

had charge. 

and donuts are served early 

Sundays. There are activities 

with the TLC Kids Zone 

from children from birth 

through fifth grade. True Life 

Church has gospel-centered 

contemporary music and 

biblical messages delivered 

by Norm Duncan. 

For more information, 

call 978-9292 or visit www. 

experienceTLC.com. 

University United 


The church is located 

across from the Wichita State 

University campus at 21st 

and Yale. 

Sunday activities include 

adult and youth educational 

classes at 9:15 a.m., traditional 

service at 10:30 and 

youth group activities from 4 

MAY 2011 • BEL AIRE BREEZE PAGE 5 

Truck driving school opens near Park City 


As a self-employed nurse 

practitioner, Tandy Noeller 

traveled across Kansas and 

conducted pre-employment 

DOT, or Department of 

Transportation, physicals for 

several large trucking companies. 

Her job was basically to 

assure that potential commercial 

truck drivers had good 

eyesight, good hearing and 

were clean of drugs. 

Among her stops were 

truck driving schools in Fort 

Scott and Topeka. Noeller 

said she enjoyed meeting the 

instructors and students and 

developed an idea to assist an 

industry in need of workers. 

Noeller and her husband, 

Richard Noeller noticed the 

shortage of qualified truck 

drivers in Kansas and saw that 

the Wichita area hasn’t had a 

truck driving school to help 

with the shortage in more than 

a year. 

In mid April, the Noellers 

opened the Wichita Truck 

Driving School in north 

Wichita, near Park City. The 

school occupies about 2,000 

square feet of space on the 

second floor of the United 

Warehouse facility at 901 E. 

45th North. 

The facility, which includes 

35 truck docking stations and 

“a very large area for driving 

instruction,” can be accessed 

by taking Hydraulic to 45th 

and driving west. 

The school’s four-week 

commercial truck driving 

program consists of about 80 

hours each for classroom time 

and driving instruction. 

Tandy Noeller serves as the 

school’s owner and classroom 

instructor. 

Since the early 1990s, 

Tandy has had a CDL license, 

which is what is needed to 

drive a commercial rig. 

Richard Noeller, who also 

holds a CDL license and has 

driven commercially for more 

than 40 years, will serve as a 

driving instructor at the Wichita 

Truck Driving School. 

Richard has owned his own 

custom harvesting business 

and had a harvest crew driving 

commercial trucks for 

more than 30 years. He has 

experience helping drivers 

earn commercial licenses. 

Away from the new truck 

driving school, Richard and 

Tandy own a couple of farms 

in Greenwood and Wilson 

counties, southeast of Wichita. 

Jack Kendrick, who also 

brings more than 40 years of 

commercial driving experience 

to the Wichita Truck 

Driving School, will assist 

in the classroom, as well as 

serve as a driving instructor. 

He will teach defensive driving 

courses offered through 

the school. 

Courtesy photo 

Representing Sunrise at the state Mock Trial tournament are (from left) Brianna 

Barone, Hannah Carlson, Benjamin Schmidt, Elizabeth Lim, Czarina Cutaran, Peggy 

O’Donnell, Brandon Layton, Bekah Noxon and George Swartzendruber. 

Sunrise second at state 

Mock Trial tournament 

By The Breeze staff second in the tournament, Mock Trial coach Peggy 

narrowly missing on the op- O’Donnell said this is the 

Students from Bel Aire’s portunity to compete at the second consecutive year her 

Sunrise Christian Academy national Mock Trial tourna- group has finished second at 

competed in a state Mock ment May 5 through 8 in state. 

Trial competition April 1 Phoenix. 

“Many people do not real- 

and 2 at the Johnson County Wichita Independent won ize that many students go on 

Courthouse in Olathe. The the tournament, edging Sun- to compete at the college lev- 

Sunrise group finished rise by three points. Sunrise el in Mock Trial,” she said. 

Kendrick is the former 

director of a truck driving 

school in Kansas City, where 

he retired in 2010. The Wichita 

Truck Driving School’s 

Commercial CDL Training 

Catalog says Kendrick “has 

worked very hard at trying to 

get students jobs after graduation.” 

Tandy said the Wichita 

Truck Driving School, which 

has been approved to operate 

as a private postsecondary 

institution with the Kansas 

Board of Regents, aims to get 

every participating student 

their commercial driver’s 

license and assist them with 

applying for jobs. 

Tandy said she hopes to 

give students chances to 

meet potential employers 

at the school, but she can’t 

guarantee they’ll all be hired 

once the four-week course is 

finished. 

However, statistics speak 

well for anyone contemplating 

a career as a truck driver. Ac- 

cording to the Wichita Truck 

Driving School’s training 

catalog, statistics show that 

about 96 percent of graduates 

are hired directly after school. 

The Kansas Department of 

Labor reports that Wichitabased 

OTR, or over the road 

truck drivers, earn an annual 

salary of more than $38,000 

per year. 

While the school doesn’t 

make direct hires, Tandy said 

students will be provided assistance 

to earn CDL permits 

to start with, and will be 

accompanied to the Department 

of Motor Vehicles once 

they’ve earned their commercial 

driver’s licenses and 

begin looking for a job. 

To apply for the Wichita 

Truck Driving School, students 

must be at least 21 years 

old. The total cost to take part 

in the school’s four-week program 

costs Kansas residents 

about $2,656, primarily consisting 

of the cost for tuition. 

Residents of Missouri, 

Oklahoma, Arkansas or 

Nebraska who wish to attend 

the school can expect to pay 

about $3,123. 

Leading up to the first 

classes on April 18, Tandy 

said she was pleasantly 

surprised at the responses she 

received at a Wichita job fair. 

With student participation 

expected to continually increase, 

she said she planned to 

need more trucks and instructors 

as classes progressed. 

“It’s been very well received, 

” Tandy said. 

The Wichita Truck Driving 

School is open from 7 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. Monday through 

Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Friday. Tandy said Friday 

hours are meant as make-up 

days for students who miss a 

day or need extra help. 

For more information on 

the Wichita Truck Driving 

School, call 838-3336, or visit 

the school’s website at www. 

wichitatruckdrivingschool. 

com. 

Resident finds creative way to save on water bill 

to fertilize or mow my lawn 

nearly as much.” 

While the process of 

zeroscaping his yard is 

expensive now, Ehrlich said 

he expects to see a payback 

from savings on water bills in 

four to five years. 

PEOPLE 

Good Shepherd Hospice 

hosts Grief and Loss Support 

Group Meetings from 10 to 11 

a.m. on the second and fourth 

Thursdays of each month. 

The meetings are held at the 

Catholic Life Center Assisted 

Living Activity Room, 6550 E. 

45th North. Call Sharlene, bereavement 

coordinator at Good 

Shepherd Hospice, for more 

information at 616-2277. 

††† 

Butler Community College 

announced the President’s and 

Dean’s honor roll for the fall 

semester. Area students on 

the list from Bel Aire include: 

Brittany Jefferson, David Mc- 

Adam, Scott McCoy, Kimberly 

Webb, Cassia Williams. Area 

students from Kechi include: 

Chelsie Batterman, Samuel 

Chaney, Sarah Kaiser, Dylan 

Morlan. 

to 6 p.m. 

E-mail uumc2220@uumc. 

net; phone 686-6765. Rev. 

Phil Shull is the pastor. 

Send your church’s upcoming 

events and service times 

to legals@arkvalleynews. 

com or call 755-0821. 

Christ 

Lutheran 

Church ELCA 

Welcome! 

9:45 • Sunday School (youth/adult) 

8:30 • Service w/Comm. every Sun. 

11:00 • Traditional Service 

with Communion 1st & 3rd Sun. 

53rd North & Hillside, Wichita 

744-1242 • www.christ-lutheran.org


FAMILY TIES 

Mother and son elected to serve neighboring communities 


Six years ago, Michael 

O’Donnell was a sophomore 

in college when he finished 

second in a four-person Bel 

Aire mayoral race. Though 

he lost to Brian Withrow by 

26 percent, he didn’t let the 

outcome derail his “affinity 

for politics.” He was 20 years 

old and made a good run to 

pick up 496 votes, despite his 

inexperience. 

In the same election, his 

mother, Peggy O’Donnell, an 

administrator and teacher at 

Sunrise Christian Academy, 

won a seat on the Bel Aire 

City Council, where nine 

people sought to fill three 

available positions. 

In that April 2005 election, 

voters had to sift through 13 

candidates, all of them newcomers. 

In a time of transition 

for Bel Aire, no incumbents 

sought re-election when they 

saw the “handwriting on the 

wall” amidst some unrest 

in the city stemming from a 

heavy debt tied to large land 

purchases. 

“I would say, unequivocally, 

it was the most heated 

campaign in Bel Aire’s history,” 

Michael O’Donnell 

said. “I mean, the city was in 

an uproar.” 

Although the mother and 

son missed the opportunity to 

serve in the same city, they 

now share similar titles. 

Earlier this month, Michael, 

26, won a hard-fought 

election to earn a spot on 

the Wichita City Council, 

representing District 4 in the 

southwest part of the city 

that includes about 60,000 

Wichitans. 

Meanwhile, Peggy 

O’Donnell continues to represent 

about 6,800 residents in 

Bel Aire as a member of the 

city’s five-person council. She 

won her second term in 2009. 

“I’ll be honest, it’s really 

been a nice time,” Peggy said. 

“I’m in my second term and 

I’m honored that the people 

have elected me again, but it 


Angel Dillard’s letter was 

not a “true threat,” a federal 

judge ruled last month. 

Dillard, who lives northeast 

of Valley Center, sent a letter 

of warning to a doctor who 

shared plans to offer abortions 

in Wichita. The letter implied 

that the doctor should fear for 

her life, but any threat wasn’t 

direct enough to constitute 

legal action in federal court. 

Dillard stood before a 

federal judge April 19 for a 

hearing to determine whether 

she should stay away from Dr. 

Mila Means. 

Means, of rural Kechi, is a 

physician who had been training 

to offer abortion services 

at her Wichita practice and 

has had protestors hold antiabortion 

signs outside of her 

property. 

The Justice Department’s 

Civil Rights Division filed 

a civil complaint two weeks 

is a lot of work.” 

Michael is in his first term 

in public office and admits 

he’s on a learning curve with 

trying to get adjusted to all 

of his responsibilities representing 

the state’s largest 

city. The Friends University 

alum and Clear Channel 

sales and marketing professional 

doesn’t take his council 

position lightly, although 

it’s technically “a part-time 

job.” Despite representing 

a much smaller population, 

his mother takes a similar 

ago, accusing Dillard of writing 

and sending a threatening 

letter to Means and violating 

the department’s Freedom of 

Access to Clinic Entrances 

Act. 

A federal judge refused 

the government’s request 

for a preliminary injunction 

ordering Dillard to stay away 

from Means. Essentially, the 

judge ruled that the letter 

didn’t pose a “true threat” and 

was protected by The First 

Amendment of the Constitution. 

In the letter, Dillard alerts 

Means that, “thousands 

of people are looking into 

your background, not just in 

Wichita, but from all over the 

US.” 

“They will know your 

habits and routines. They will 

know where you shop, who 

your friends are, what you 

Shoes, Boots 

and Saddles 

Repaired 

Call Mike Garrison 

316-744-3521 

Shorten purse straps, 

patches on vests, 

orthopedic work, belts, 

velcro, snaps, eyelets 

approach to her local government 

position. 

“I think we both are very 

humbled that voters have 

entrusted both of us with 

serving as council members,” 

Peggy said. “And it is 

a service that you do for the 

people and we want to listen 

to the people. We both believe 

less government is better.” 

In his run for mayor of Bel 

Aire and his recent triumph 

to land a spot on the Wichita 

City Council, Michael said 

his campaigning carried him 

drive, where you live.” 

The letter also says Means 

should be checking under her 

car every day because “maybe 

today is the day someone 

places an explosive under it.” 

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through, especially in the 

recent election. 

“I do think my campaigning 

is what brought me to 

second place then at 20 years 

old and it’s what brought 

me through my most recent 

election because all of the 

odds were stacked against 

me running for Wichita City 

Council,” he said. 

Michael said Wichita 

Mayor Carl Brewer, The 

Wichita Eagle and former 

council member Paul Gray, 

who served District 4 before 

Letter poses no ‘true threat,’ judge rules 

Johnson 

Lawn Service 

15 years experience 

253-1416 

744-7511 

Dillard concluded the letter 

by urging Means to “think 

very carefully” about the 

choices she was making. 

Happy Mother’s Day 

from 

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600 S. Ramsey Dr. 

Valley Center 

755-5327 

“Come renew yourself” 

with a FREE 10 day 

trial membership 

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Michael O’Donnell and his mother Peggy O’Donnell stand outside of Bel Aire City Hall. Peggy is a Bel Aire City 

Council member. Michael was elected to the Wichita City Council this spring. 

him, endorsed his opponent, 

Joshua Bick. Michael said 

Bick also outspent him on his 

campaign, 2-to-1. 

Michael was helped by 

endorsements from former 

congressman Todd Tiahrt 

and former Wichita Mayor 

Bob Knight. He’s worked on 

campaigns for both men. 

While he acknowledges 

the support was crucial, 

Michael believes his passion 

and willingness to knock 

on the door of as many 

residences as he could in his 

district made the difference. 

In the 2005 Bel Aire 

mayoral race, Michael said 

he knocked on the door of 

every registered voter in the 

city. His mother campaigned 

along with him. 

“I would go see some 

people and they would say, 

‘We met your son,’” Peggy 

said. 

Peggy and Michael share 

a belief that their public 

service is a calling from 

God. Michael’s father, Mike 

O’Donnell, is the pastor 

of Wichita’s Grace Baptist 

Church, where Michael 

serves on the board. 

In addition to professional 

and political careers, the 

O’Donnells put in time on 

volunteer efforts and emphasize 

the importance of working 

cooperatively, whether it 

is in a workplace or in a seat 

on a decision-making body 

that can have a direct impact 

on people’s lives. 

Michael said that although 

he and his mother aren’t 

serving in the same council 

chambers, they’re part of 

the same community that is 

south-central Kansas. 

“She’s serving Bel Aire 

with their specific needs 

and I’m fighting for Wichita 

and their specific needs, but 

when it comes down to it, we 

all want the same things,” 

Michael said. “We want 

strong families, we want 

a strong community and 

great jobs. … Bel Aire and 

Wichita and Andover and 

Maize and all of these cities 

that surround, we all need to 

work together cohesively as 

a group.”

May Bel Aire Breeze.indd - City of Bel Aire

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